Plus, Riley has a special message for ‘Lannie’ fans: ‘They’re going to get what they want, but … they need to enjoy the ride.’

For the record, Riley Smithknew that joining 90210as a love interest for Annie (Shenae Grimes) was going to be an “uphill battle.” Not only do Annie’s boyfriends tend to have short life spans — few, if any, are ever heard from again — but there’s an overwhelming number of “Lannie” fans who refuse to accept Annie with anyone other than Liam (Matt Lanter). But Riley tells HollywoodLife.com not to worry; he’s got a plan.

“I realized, very quickly, that I was in a lose-lose situation,” Riley admits. “I prepared myself for that. This is a character who’s always on the offensive, and I figured if I played him like that, he’d be harder to pick on.”

“There’s going to be a lot more of that,” Riley says of their characters’ tension. “What I like is that they’re really giving our story line time to play out. That relationship is going to evolve. … Annie’s finally met her match. Riley’s always going to one-up her and he’s never going to back down. You’re going to see that all year, where every other minute they’re fighting and making up.”

And what would one of Annie’s boyfriends be without a few demons?

“His fiancée left him after he became paralyzed, and that’s a really deep-seeded thing that causes him to be the way he is,” Riley explains. “As [he and Annie] get further into their relationship, you’ll see a lot of those things come out based on those past experiences.”

But even though Riley’s enjoying his time with Annie, he urges the “Lannie” fans to be patient.

“They need to understand that they’re going to get what they want, but between now and then, they need to enjoy the ride,” he explains. “Because once they get it, where’s it going to go? It’s just going to end. I think they need to be careful what they wish for.”

How do you feel about Riley, 90210 fans? Do you think he’s a good match for Annie, or do you refuse to accept her with anyone other than Liam? Drop me a comment with your thoughts on Riley, and what you’d like to see happen in season five.